Folding crate



Dec. 20, 1932- E. c. BOTTRELL FOLDING CRATE I N VEN TOR A TTORNEYS Filed April 50, 1950 $014 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 EL'BEBT c. norrnnnn, or MILWAUKEE, w'rsconsm FOLDING CRATE Application and April 30,

This invention relates to improvements in folding crates, particularly, although not solely, adapted for poultry and the like.

It is one of the objects of the present invention to provide a folding metal or wire crate which, when empty,'may be collapsed into a flat, compact form for convenience in storage or transportation. V i

A further object of the invention is toprovide a folding crate including a pan-like base or bottom member which will entirely contain therein in a compact manner, the side, top and end portions of the crate when the same is collapsed. V r I V A further object of the invention is to provide a collapsible crate having folding side and end portions and means for'lockingsaid crate portions against undesired folding or collapsing when the crate is in its set-up? condition.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding crate which is of very simple construction, is strong and durable, is inexpensive to manufacture, and is-well adapted for the purposes described.

With the above and other objectsoin view, the invention consists of'the improved foldi-ng crate, and its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims, andall equivalents thereof. 1

In the accompanying drawing in which the samereferencecharacters indicate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of the improved folding crate in its set-up condition;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on line 22 of Fig. 1; r

0 Fig. 3 is a planview ofthe crate in its folded or collapsed condition;

Fig. 4 is a cross-sectional view thereof taken on line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary section al view of a crate end portion and the re leasable means in latching position for holding the end in upright position; and

Fig. 6 is a similar view only showing the unlatched position of said means with a dotted lineshowing of the end as moved toward its flat, folded position.

1930. sen-arm. 448,584.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing. it will appear that the numeral 8 indicates a metallic, pan-like base member of rectangular form and having relatively low upstanding sides and ends 9 and 10 respec- 5 tively. i

. Secured within said pan-like base member is a rectangular base frame 11 formed of a piece of wire of a suitable gauge. As p0r-;

tions ofeach side'of the crate, a plurality of spaced-apart. medially hinging or folding straps are employed, each strap comprising an upper or outer member 12 and a lower or inner member 13. The complementary members 12 and 13 of each pair arehinged to-. 5' gether at their adjacent ends by pintles 14 extending through complementary rolled end portions 15. Each pair of strap members 12 and 13 are adapted to fold 0r hinge inwardly and to prevent outward breaking or folding when said strap members are in their vertical extended positions, the lower or inner end of each member 12 carries a slightly inwardly off-set tongue 16 adapted to engage the inner face. of its complementary member 13 and thus prevent undesired outward folding. The lower or inner end portions of the strap members 13 are bent about side portions of the base frame 11 so as to hinge or pivot thereon,

while the upper or outer end portions of the so strap members 12 are similarly bent! about side portions of an outer rectangular frame 17 of a top member. Inaddition to said frame 17 the top member includes spacedapart transverse rods 18 and longitudinal rods 19. Each side of the crate is formed by the folding strap members 12 and 13 and by a pair of longitudinal rods 20 and 21 secured respec tively to the strap members 12 and13 and at 7 right angles to the same. Each end of the folding crate is formed of a frame including end rods 22'which are pivotally bent at their lower or inner end portions about anend portionof the base frame l1, and spaced aparttransverserods 23 secured 5 at their end portions to the rods 22.

Adapted to cooperate with each end member to releasably hold the same .in unfolded,

vertical position, is a folding locking member base frame 11 and the top frame 17. Said locking member comprises a lower strap member 2 bent about a portion of the base frame 11 so as to pivot thereon, and an upper strap member 25 bent about a portion of the top frame 1'? so as to pivot thereon. Adjacent ends of the members 24 and 25 are hingedly joined, as at 26, and one ofthe members carries an inwardly off-set tongue 27 to prevent outwardly folding of said members, when extended, with respect to each other. V The upper portion of the strap member 25 is formed with a rectangular slot 28. "There is slidably mounted on said strap member 25 a latch 29 having a T-shaped head '30 bent at right angles to the body portion of the latch member and extended: through said slot 28 and movable therein. Secured to the upper or outer end portion of each end member of the crate is a plate 31 formed with a T-shaped opening or slot 32. The major portion of the slot 32 corresponds insize and is'adapted to register with the slot 28 inthe adjacent strap member 25, while thehead of said slot 32 is of asufficient size to receive therethrough the T-shaped head 30 of the latch 29.

I In Figs. 1,2, 5 and 6, the crate, and portions thereof are illustrated in open or set-up position. To attain this position, the top member is grasped and is pulled directly upwardly and this movement will .cause all of'the strap connections between the top member and the base frame to unfold, until all of the pairs of complementary strap members are eX-. tended vertically. Then, the end members are swung outwardly from folded flat positions adjacent the base member to vertical positions against their straps 24 and '25. In this position the top rods '23 of the end members will lodge immediately below the end portions of the top frame 17, securing said frame and top member in raised position.

The end members are releasably locked in their vertical positions by means of the latch means previously described. Initially, each latch 29 is adjusted so thatit is in its uppermost position on its strap 25 and then its head 30 is passed through the head slot ofthe opening 32 in the adjacent plate 31.. Then, by pulling the latch downwardly the head 30 will engage the plate 31 on opposite sides of the slot 32 whereby the end member is securely heldto the unfolded strap 24-25. As the ends are held against folding in this manner, and as the ends support the top, when in vertical position, the crate can not collapse. To foldthe crate it is merely necessary to raise the latches and disengage the same from the slotted plates 31and then the ends are folded downwardly into the pan-like base. Next, all of the complementary strap members are caused to-break inwardly and they fold upon themselves within the base member and the top is pushed thereonto. The folded position ofthe crate is shown in Figs. 3 and 4, and

the crate, when folded, is very compact, and the sides, ends and top thereof are all contained within the pan-like base member.

The improved folding crate is especially adapted for shipping poultry but it is, of course, susceptible of other uses. In its setup condition it is Very rigid and secure, while when folded,a number of said crates may be packed or stored in a minimum amount of space. Furthermore, the improved folding crate is both simple "and'novel, and is well adapted for the purposes set forth.

1 What I claim as my invention is:

1. A folding container, comprising a base member, a pair of side members foldable with respect to said. base member and medially foldable upon themselves, a top carried only by said side members, another pair of rigid side members foldable only upon said base member, and latch means for releasably elements, rigid gate members for the other opposed pair of sides andhingedly connected to said base member, said gate members being bodily movable from folded positions against the base member to vertical positions between the base and top members, and

means carried by adjacent straps for releasably engaging said gate members in their vertical positions.

3; A folding container, comprising a rectangular, pan-like base, a rectangular top, a pair of opposed, medially foldable sides hingedly connected to opposed sides of the top and base, and another pair of rigid sides hingedly connected only to theother opposed sides of the base, allof the sides being foldable entirely into the confines of said base against the bottom thereof and the top being moved by the medially foldable sides in parallelism with said base and into the confines of the base.

4. A folding metal crate, comprising a rectangular, pan-like base, a rectangular base frame mounted therewithin, a rectangular top, medially foldingstraps hingedly secured at their opposite ends to said base frame'and tosaid top, longitudinal side elementscar ried by the straps on'the two sides of the crate, a pair of rigid end gates hingedly connected to opposite end portions of the base frame, and latch membersc'arried by the straps on the ends of the crate and releasably engageable with said end 'gates when the ias same are unfolded with respect to the base frame, all of the parts when in folded positions being confined within said base.

5. A folding container, comprising :1 rec: tangular, pan-like base, a rectangular base frame mounted therewithin, a rectangular top, medially foldable sides hingedly connected to opposite sides of the base frame and top, medially folding straps hingedly secured at their opposite ends to end portions of the base frame and top, a pair of rigid end gates hingedly connected to opposite end portions of the base frame, and latch members carried by said straps and releasa-bly en gageable with said end gates when the same are unfolded with respect to the base frame, all of the parts when in folded positions being confined within said base.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

ELBERT C. BOTTRELL. 

